Xi Jinping was absent from the BRICS summit banquet due to illness
According to The Wall Street Journal, Xi Jinping was absent from the BRICS summit banquet due to illness, and Wang Yi attended on his behalf.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Xi Jinping was absent from the BRICS summit banquet due to illness, and Wang Yi attended on his behalf.
On September 19, The Wall Street Journal reported that Xi Jinping temporarily cancelled his attendance at the BRICS summit banquet held in New Delhi, India on September 12 due to physical discomfort, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi attending on his behalf. Official Beijing has not provided an explanation for the absence, prompting outside concerns regarding his health status and power succession, though currently there is no evidence indicating he is seriously ill.
Xinhua News Agency grandly announced that President Xi Jinping will visit BRICS countries and travel to New Delhi, saying that a delegation of about 400 people is reportedly ready, and this will be Xi Jinping's first visit to India since 2019.
During his attendance at the BRICS summit in India, Xi Jinping was absent from the banquet. He left India in a hurry the following noon, showing sluggish movements and a non-responsive left hand while boarding the plane. Rumors circulated after his return to Beijing that he had to be carried off the aircraft.
Xi Jinping traveled to India to attend the BRICS summit, but along the route to his hotel and his motorcade, he encountered numerous slogans and chants from Indian anti‑Communist and anti‑Xi individuals, being described as a “street rat.”
Following the BRICS summit, Xinhua News Agency published a defining article titled "Always Be a Pioneer of the Era, Gather the Power of Unity." The article departs from the previous practice of portraying Xi Jinping as an "absolute" imperial-style figure behind the scenes, and for the first time uses the term "always be a pioneer of the era" extensively, attempting to provide political packaging and rationalization for the reality of his recent frequent visits and the collapse of his public persona.
Leaders of the BRICS group will hold a summit in New Delhi, India in early September. The Iran conflict and disagreements among member states will be core issues, and India faces a difficult test of diplomatic balancing.
The BRICS foreign ministers' meeting and the meeting of high representatives for national security held earlier in 2026 listed the Iran war as a main agenda item, with Iran and the UAE trading accusations over the conflict.
Trump warned that any country whose policies align with BRICS's anti-U.S. stance will be subject to an additional 10% tariff.